Diascia plant named &#39;balwhisaptim&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Diascia  plant named ‘Balwhisaptim’ characterized by its apricot-colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and vigorous, mounded, and spreading growth habit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofInterspecific Diascia plant hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name‘Balwhisaptim’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program during theautumn of 2000, at Guadalupe, Calif. The objective of the breedingprogram was the development of Diascia cultivars with a well-branched,spreading growth habit, continuous flowering, and medium green-coloredfoliage.

The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar was the proprietaryInterspecific Diascia breeding selection designated 1624-1, notpatented, characterized by its large pink-colored flowers and bush typehabit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar was the proprietaryInterspecific Diascia breeding selection designated 1646-1, notpatented, characterized by its coral-colored flowers and prostratehabit. The new cultivar was discovered and selected by the inventor as asingle flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated cross inautumn 2002.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings sinceautumn 2002 at Guadalupe, Calif. and West Chicago, Ill. has demonstratedthat the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all thecharacteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained throughsuccessive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype mayvary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature,light intensity, and day length without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedlyobserved and can be used to distinguish ‘Balwhisaptim’ as a new anddistinct cultivar of Diascia plant:

-   -   1. Apricot-colored flowers.    -   2. Medium green-colored foliage.    -   3. Vigorous, mounded, and spreading growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parentprimarily in flower color and growth habit, and from plants of the maleparent primarily in flower color and growth habit.

Of the many Diascia cultivars know to the inventor, the most similar tothe new cultivar is the cultivar Diastina, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,932.However, in side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new cultivardiffered from plants of ‘Diastina’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have darker foliage than Plants of        ‘Diastina’.    -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have different flower color than        plants of ‘Diastina’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typicalflower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in thephotographs differ slightly from the values cited in the detaileddescription, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Balwhisaptim’.The plants were grown in 10 cm pots for 11 weeks in a greenhouse at WestChicago, Ill.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habitof ‘Balwhisaptim’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up side view and front view of individualflowers of ‘Balwhisaptim’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is theR.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England,2001 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significanceare used. The color values were determined on Nov. 8, 2004 between 8:00and 9:00 a.m. under natural light conditions.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants producedfrom terminal stem cuttings from stock plants and grown in a doublepolycarbonate-covered greenhouse under conditions comparable to thoseused in commercial practice. The plants were grown at West Chicago, Ill.in 10 cm pots for 11 weeks while utilizing a soilless growth medium.Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately 62°-75° F.(17°-24° C.) during the day and approximately 52°-60° F. (11°-15° C.)during the night. Greenhouse light levels were maintained at 5,000 to8,000 footcandles during the day.

-   Botanical classification: Interspecific Diascia cultivar    Balwhisaptim.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary Interspecific Diascia breeding            selection designated 1624-1, not patented.        -   Male parent.—Proprietary Interspecific Diascia breeding            selection designated 1646-1, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem cutting.        -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 6 to 9 days.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 3 to 4            weeks.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Crop time.—Approximately 5 to 7 weeks from planting of a            rooted cutting in a 10 cm pot.        -   Habit of growth.—Vigorous. Freely branching with branches            forming at every node.        -   Form.—Spreading mounded.        -   Size.—Height: Approximately 19.6 cm. Diameter (area of            spread): Approximately 48.4 cm.        -   Branch description.—Quantity: Approximately 39 flowering            branches. Strength: Moderate. Shape: Square in cross            section. Length: Approximately 25.6 cm. Diameter:            Approximately 2 mm. Internode length at middle of branch:            Approximately 3.2 cm. Texture: Glabrous. Color: 144A.        -   Foliage.—Quantity of leaves per branch: Approximately 9.            Fragrance: None. Type: Simple. Arrangement: Opposite. Leaf            orientation to stem: Obtuse. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Cuspidate.            Base: Cordate. Margin: Entire. Venation pattern: Pinnate.            Length: Approximately 2.1 cm. Width: Approximately 1.5 cm.            Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous. Color of            mature foliage: Upper surface: 137A with venation of 145A.            Lower surface: Between 138A and 138B with venation of 145A.            Petiole length: Approximately 3.5 mm. Petiole diameter:            Approximately 1 mm. Petiole texture: Upper and lower            surfaces: Glabrous. Petiole color: 143A.-   Flowering description:    -   -   Time to first flower.—Approximately 5-7 weeks after planting            of rooted cutting.        -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering under outdoor growing            conditions with substantially continuous blooming from            spring through autumn and year round in greenhouse            environment.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Type.—Terminal clusters.        -   Size.—Length (depth): Approximately 4.6 cm. Width:            Approximately 5 cm.-   Flower description:    -   -   Lastingness of a single bloom.—Approximately 4-5 days.        -   Quantity per inflorescence.—Approximately 6.        -   Type.—Solitary, not persistent, five lobed, zygomorphic,            with two nectar spurs.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Aspect.—Concave.        -   Shape.—Obovate.        -   Flower size.—Width: Approximately 2.2 cm. Length:            Approximately 2.3 cm. Depth, including spurs: Approximately            9 mm.        -   Petals.—Quantity: Five, two upper petals, two lateral petals            and one lower petal. Type: Imbricate, fused at base. Aspect:            Cupped. Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Appearance:            Iridescent. Color: Upper surface: Closest to 37B. Color of            lower surface: Closest to 37C. Indentation at base of upper            petals: Length: 3 mm. Width: 3.5 mm. Color: 3A.        -   Two upper (banner) petals.—Length: Approximately 5 mm.            Width: Approximately 4 mm. Texture of upper surface:            Glabrous. Texture of lower surface: Glabrous except for            sparse stipulate glands at base.        -   Lateral petals.—Length: Approximately 8 mm. Width:            Approximately 6 mm. Texture of upper surface: Glabrous.            Texture of lower surface: Glabrous except for sparse            stipulate glands at base. Sharply curved nectar spurs form            at base of each of the lateral petals.        -   Nectar spurs.—Length: 6 mm. Diameter at petal attachment:            3 mm. Diameter at tip: 1 mm. Texture: Sparsely stipulate            glandular. Color: 51C with tip of 58A.        -   Lowerpetal.—Length: Approximately 9 mm. Width: Approximately            1.3 cm. Texture of upper surface: Glabrous. Texture of lower            surface: Glabrous except for sparse stipulate glands at            base. Gland color: N186A.        -   Calyx.—Shape: Five pointed star, formed by 5 sepals fused at            base. Length: Approximately 3 mm. Diameter: Approximately            6 mm. Sepal shape: Lanceolate. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal            margin: Entire. Sepal length: Approximately 2.8 mm. Sepal            width: Approximately 1 mm. Texture of upper/inner surface of            sepals: Glabrous. Texture of outer/lower surface of sepals:            Stipulate glandular. Gland color: N186A. Color of upper and            lower sepal surfaces is 143C.        -   Peduncle.—Strength: Moderate. Aspect: At acute angle to            stem. Length: Approximately 1.7 cm. Diameter: Approximately            0.4 mm. Texture: Stipulate glandular. Gland color: 186A.            Color: 143A.        -   Bud (at first color).—Shape: Globular. Length: Approximately            4.2 mm in length. Diameter: Approximately 6 mm. Texture:            Glabrous. Color: 37D.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: There are 4 stamens per            flower. Filament length: 3 mm. Filament color: 59B. Anther            shape: Oval. Anther length: 1 mm. Anther color: 9C. Pollen            amount: Moderate. Pollen color: 12A. Gynoecium: Pistil            number: One per flower. Pistil length: 3.3 mm. Stigma shape:            Round. Stigma length: 0.5 mm. Stigma color: 155D. Style            length: Approximately 2 mm. Style color: 145C. Ovary length:            Approximately 0.7 mm. Ovary color: 143A.-   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has    been observed.-   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens or pests common    to Diascia has not been observed.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Interspecific Diascia plant named‘Balwhisaptim’, substantially as herein shown and described.